If you want to post a few here, go ahead and I'll ask a couple tomorrow (I didn't know the call-in number today but I do now). However, I probably won't get away with asking more than 2 or 3 questions, so I'll have to pick and choose if a lot are posted.

Okay, thanks! Here's a few; pick any you want or leave them as you will, Emily:

1. What is the reason for the "National Park" exclusion areas? Does this mean that they will remain completely undisturbed, and if so, why? (I only got to catch maybe the last 5 min of the presser, so the reference was a bit confusing).

2. How will the arm's biobarrier be prevented from potentially interfering with the arm's function over the course of the mission?

3. Is there a long-term site imagery plan in place aside from detailed mapping of the immediate area? There are some intriguing features on the horizon that might be worth further examination within the limits of SSI.

4. Are there any preliminary guesses about the weathered "sandstone" look & composition of some of the nearby rocks?

5. Based on previous MER EDL experience and now the Phoenix backshell & heatshield impacts imaged by MRO, in addition to the thruster erosion around Phoenix itself, it seems that the windborne dust coating of the planet is almost uniformly lighter optically than the underlying soil. Why?

Guess that's enough!

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A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.

Any idea if they intend - or are able - to use the Robotic Arm Camera to turn towards the spacecraft and do a self portrait mosaic? The lens can focus 11mm to infinity so focus isn't an issue. It would be great to see the spacecraft sitting on the surface. A good tourist shot if you will. Also, how about the unused MARDI camera? (Taking a shot at point blank to see what's under the spacecraft.)

I think MARDI is still very much an open issue, but maybe things might change, It was disabled due to potential EDL GNC interference, but possibly after they get comfortable running the spacecraft on the surface the risks of turning it on might be less severe...my opinion & hope, anyhow.

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A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.

I like nprev's question on any preliminary guesses about the weathered "sandstone" look & composition of some of the nearby rocks. If indeed they are sandstone what is the best guess on their provenance.

It was disabled due to potential EDL GNC interference, but possibly after they get comfortable running the spacecraft on the surface the risks of turning it on might be less severe...

The bug was with reading IMU data and MARDI data simultaneously. Now that the IMUs are turned off and unused, there's no risk in operating MARDI. The spacecraft guidance system isn't very challenged just sitting on the ground.

But I think it's unlikely this will happen until all other mission objectives are met, if then. It could take a nice image of the stuff underneath the rover, and I'm not sure the RAC can see that area (MARDI is on the other side of the met mast.)

Disclaimer: this post is based on public information. Any opinions are my own.

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Disclaimer: This post is based on public information only. Any opinions are my own.

The bug was with reading IMU data and MARDI data simultaneously. Now that the IMUs are turned off and unused, there's no risk in operating MARDI. The spacecraft guidance system isn't very challenged just sitting on the ground.

But I think it's unlikely this will happen until all other mission objectives are met, if then. It could take a nice image of the stuff underneath the rover, and I'm not sure the RAC can see that area (MARDI is on the other side of the met mast.)

Disclaimer: this post is based on public information. Any opinions are my own.

The MARDI system has a microphone too. It would be a great PR tool to record some Martian sounds with the sound of a moving arm in the back/foreground.

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